Photos: 'Land Day' Ends Relatively Quietly

One Arab was killed in a riot near the Erez Crossing. About 30 were reported wounded.

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Gil Ronen, 01/04/12 00:14

Land Day 2012

Reuters

One Arab was killed and about 30 were reported wounded Friday in "Land Day" riots in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, as well as other parts of Israel. IDF forces fired rubber-coated bullets at rioters near the Erez Crossing into Gaza. An Arab was killed there and 10 were reported moderately wounded.

Earlier in the day, a Border Police soldier was lightly wounded when Arabs hurled rocks at him in clashes in the Jerusalem area. In the riots in Judea and Samaria, 34 Arabs were arrested for throwing rocks and rioting.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Saturday that the Land Day events "are a continuation of the diplomatic terror against Israel in which Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas engages, in international forums."

"We will continue to successfully deal with the Palestinian attempts to force unilateral steps upon us, in the UN and on the ground," he added.

While Land Day went by relatively quietly, compared to scenarios projected by security forces in preparation, analysts noted that the day has morphed from being an occasion marked only by Israel's Arab citizens to one marked in Judea, Samaria, Gaza and surrounding countries.